Answer:
17 inches
Step-by-step explanation:
An obtuse triangle is the triangle in which one of the side is the longest. It contains an obtuse angle and the longest side is the side that is opposite to the vertex of the obtuse angle.
Let the three sides of the obtuse triangle be a, b and c respectively with c as the longest side. Let a = 9 inches and b = 14 inches.
Now we know that for an obtuse triangle,
c > 16.64
Therefore the smallest possible whole number is 17 inches.